A- Pours a medium amber color with a 3/4 inch off-white head that retains well before becoming a thick ring around the edge of the glass and various patches of surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing.

S- Pungent west coast hop profile with some cereal grain sweetness to back it up plus a nice whiff of booze. Notes of caramel, grapefruit and pineapple.

T- Just as bitter as its single IPA counterpart but with more balance from the malt and alcohol. Actually, much more balance as I remark at how smooth it is for its higher ABV. More citrus notes and has a lingering bitterness.

M- A bit dry but with only a light amount of prickle and bite from the hops and alcohol. Medium carbonation.

O- I enjoyed this much more than Union Jack but that's usually the story with me and double IPAs vs. singles.

Appearance: Firestone’s imperial IPA pours a brilliant, crystal clear, dark golden color. Carbonation swarms up from the bottom of the glass, which helps maintain the impressive two fingers of rocky, bone white head. The retention on the head is absolutely incredible, and the lacing that follows as it finally gives in to the inevitable is nothing short of spectacular. This beer is truly a sight to behold.

Aroma: For an IIPA from the West Coast, this is a strange beer indeed. The aromas are largely malt forward with a backup of floral hop aromas. None of the typical West Coast IPA characteristics really come out. The malts give a sugary aroma, there is a bit of rind, and maybe even some vanilla or oak there. Very interesting, very appetizing, but not exactly to style.

Taste: Complexity overload. Immediately, the woody, vanilla notes come out along with sugary sweet malts, but they are wiped away in a flash by pine hop bitterness (finally, a West Coast characteristic). There are hints of citrus fruits here and there, mainly lemon and grapefruit. The alcohol makes a definite appearance throughout the taste, which is initially off-putting, but becomes pleasant as it continues to flow. This is a tough one to analyze, but no doubt it is top-quality product.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is a bit on the thin and watery side, but still somehow has a slick, coating feeling to it. It is very drinkable, while also feeling like a big beer. The carbonation is spot on. The alcohol is absent here, as opposed to in the flavor, which is a surprise, neither pleasant nor unpleasant. As it tastes, so it feels like a top-shelf brew.

Overall: This is an excellent IIPA, and one that I would gladly seek out again for the woody, vanilla aromas and tastes that are unique to this product as far as my taste buds have roamed. Some of the flavors could and should have been better reconciled and integrated so as to make them stand out and really define the complexity, but as it is the beer is excellently done. This is the first beer from Firestone that I have really liked. I hope it is a sign of things to come. 17.5/20

A: Golden copper hue, completely transparent with few bubbles and when poured aggressively a slight cream colored head will appear but dissipates quickly leaving a slight ring around the glass. this is likely due to the 9.5% ABV.

S: Malty and sweet smelling, sugary/floral hop aroma, orange, slight undertone of pine. On the back end a slight booziness to it.

T: Nice and bready, heavy malt body, but balanced with the nice and bitter hop character. A nice pallet crusher. Caramel and sweetness, and if paid attention to, the yeast esters round it out well. I would think an English yeast of some sort

M: RIght where you want for a DIPA. Heavy enough that you won't slam it and not so heavy that you feel like you are eating a meal.

O: Fantastic brew from a solid brewery. This could be a nice crisp refresher in the warmer months but has the booze and body to be enjoyed on a cold day as well. Like many Firestone Walker beers, you cannot go wrong with picking this up. Will continue to drink this guy for as long as they distribute around my area.